KEVIN SINFIELD said he “couldn’t have dreamt anything better” after his marathon challenge for the Motor Neurone Disease Association raised more than £1 million.

The Leeds Rhinos director of rugby completed his seventh marathon in seven days in support of his former teammate and close friend Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with the disease last December.

Sinfield had originally set a target of £77,777, but his fundraising page crossed the £1m mark during his run around Saddleworth yesterday and, by lunchtime, had exceeded £1.25m.

The 40-year-old said he was “massively surprised and just blown away by the support.”

He added: “When we set out on Tuesday morning for the first one, we were at about £40,000 I think. We set a target of £77,777 and we were a little bit concerned that we may not hit it. And then suddenly it just started to roll in.

“The support has been incredible. Rob’s felt it. I get a text off him every night (to say) how grateful they are for what this team have done.

“We’ve been really proud to wear the vest with number seven on, what that represents with Rob and his family, but also to have the MND Association on the front, to run in their colours, to understand the work that they do and the difference they make to so many families across the UK.

“Especially this week, I’ve heard so many different stories about how horrific this disease is. This amount of money will make a huge difference. It will change a lot of things hopefully. The awareness is crucial. We need to find a cure, don’t we.”

Some of the money will go towards ensuring Burrow’s family have a secure future, and Sinfield’s mind went back to a journey the two men made to see fellow MND sufferer and rugby great Doddie Weir last December.

He said: “We talked about what our team would do for him and a magic number we would try to get to to make sure the family were safe and he was comforted and he didn’t have to worry about those sort of things moving forward.

“To be able to send him a text the other night and tell him, what we talked about back on that dark day in December, we’ll do that and more, gives us as friends great satisfaction.”